2016-02-12 08:00:01 CET

2016-02-12 08:00:01 CET


REGULATED INFORMATION

Swedish English
Ålandsbanken - Financial Statement Release

Bank of Åland Plc: Year-end Report for the period January–December 2015 


Mariehamn, 2016-02-12 08:00 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 

Bank of Åland Plc
Stock Exchange Release
February 12, 2016, 9.00 a.m.



Year-end Report for the period January–December 2015

 “We delivered our strongest net operating profit ever, EUR 30.3 M, and we
improved our profit attributable to shareholders by 51 per cent. 

 “Growing customer volume in all business areas created strong net interest
income (+ 9 per cent) and higher net commission income from financial
investment operations on behalf of our customers (+ 10 per cent). The positive
volume and income trend, combined with falling total expenses (- 5 per cent),
made 2015 a successful year. 

“Late in 2015, we received further confirmation that our high level of service
is appreciated when Prospera's customer survey named the Bank of Åland the best
bank among Private Banking customers in Finland. ” 


Peter Wiklöf, Managing Director



January−December 2015 compared to January−December 2014

  -- Net operating profit improved by 35 per cent to EUR 30.3 M (22.4).
  -- Profit for the period attributable to shareholders improved by 51 per cent
     to EUR 24.3 M (16.1).
  -- Net interest income increased by 9 per cent to EUR 54.0 M (49.3).
  -- Net commission income increased by 1 per cent to EUR 46.5 M (46.2).
  -- Total expenses decreased by 5 per cent to EUR 91.6 M (96.4).
  -- Net impairment losses on loans (including recoveries) increased by 73 per
     cent to EUR 3.0 M
(1.8), equivalent to a loan loss level of 0.09 (0.06) per cent.
  -- Return on equity after taxes (ROE) increased to 12.0 (8.7) per cent.
  -- The core Tier 1 capital ratio amounted to 11.9 per cent (10.9).
  -- Earnings per share increased by 43 per cent to EUR 1.60 (1.12).
  -- The Board of Directors proposes a dividend of EUR 0.60 (0.40) per share.



The fourth quarter of 2015 compared to the fourth quarter of 2014

  -- Net operating profit fell by 13 per cent to EUR 6.6 M (7.6).
  -- Profit for the period attributable to shareholders fell by 6 per cent to
     EUR 5.3 M (5.6).
  -- Net interest income increased by 17 per cent to EUR 14.8 M (12.6).
  -- Net commission income decreased by 23 per cent to EUR 11.2 M (14.5).
  -- Total expenses decreased by 5 per cent to EUR 24.7 M (25.8).
  -- Net impairment losses on loans (including recoveries) increased to EUR 1.1
     M (0.5), equivalent to a loan loss level of 0.13 (0.06) per cent.
  -- Return on equity after taxes (ROE) decreased to 9.9 (11.7) per cent.
  -- Earnings per share decreased to EUR 0.35 (0.39).



Financial summary                                                               
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- 
Bank of Åland Group           Q4      Q3    %      Q4    %  Jan-De  Jan-De     %
                            2015    2015         2014            c       c      
                                                              2015    2014      
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EUR M                                                                           
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Income                                                                          
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Net interest income         14.8    13.6    9    12.6   17    54.0    49.3     9
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Net commission income       11.2    10.5    6    14.5  -23    46.5    46.2     1
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Net income from              2.5     1.5   69     2.2   12     8.0     6.8    19
 financial items at fair                                                        
 value                                                                          
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Other income                 4.0     3.8    6     4.6  -13    16.4    18.3   -10
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Total income                32.4    29.4   10    34.0   -5   124.9   120.6     4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                
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Staff costs                -15.1   -13.2   14   -14.5    4   -56.0   -53.1     6
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Other expenses              -8.0    -6.7   19    -9.3  -14   -28.7   -34.9   -18
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Depreciation/amortisatio    -1.6    -1.7   -6    -2.0  -22    -6.9    -8.4   -18
n                                                                               
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Total expenses             -24.7   -21.6   14   -25.8   -5   -91.6   -96.4    -5
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Profit before impairment     7.8     7.8   -1     8.1   -5    33.3    24.2    38
 losses                                                                         
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Impairment losses on        -1.1    -1.4  -19    -0.5         -3.0    -1.8    73
 loans and other                                                                
 ­commitments                                                                   
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Net operating profit         6.6     6.4    3     7.6  -13    30.3    22.4    35
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Income taxes                -1.3    -1.3    2    -1.6  -15    -6.0    -4.8    25
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Profit for the report        5.3     5.1    4     6.1  -13    24.3    17.6    38
 period                                                                         
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Attributable to:                                                                
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Non-controlling              0.0     0.0          0.4          0.0     1.5  -100
 interests                                                                      
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Shareholders in Bank of      5.3     5.1    4     5.6   -6    24.3    16.1    51
 Åland Plc                                                                      
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Volume                                                                          
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Lending to the public      3,617   3,531    2   3,343    8                      
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Deposits from the public   2,675   2,611    2   2,391   12                      
 1                                                                              
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Investment volume 2        7,076   6,502    9   6,312   12                      
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Equity capital               213     208    2     196    9                      
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Balance sheet total        4,602   4,499    2   4,292    7                      
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Risk exposure amount       1,581   1,558    1   1,554    2                      
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Financial ratios                                                                
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Return on equity after       9.9     9.9         11.7         12.0     8.7      
 taxes, % (ROE) 3                                                               
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Expense/income ratio 4      0.76    0.73         0.76         0.73    0.80      
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Loan loss level, % 5        0.13    0.16         0.06         0.09    0.06      
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Gross non-performing        0.87    0.80         0.65                           
 receivables, % 6                                                               
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Level of provisions for       34      35           66                           
 doubtful receivables, %                                                        
 7                                                                              
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Core funding ratio, % 8      100      99          105                           
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Equity/assets ratio, % 9     4.6     4.6          4.6                           
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Tier 1 capital ratio, %     11.9    11.9         10.9                           
 10                                                                             
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Earnings per share, EUR     0.35    0.33    4    0.39  -11    1.60    1.12    43
 11                                                                             
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Earnings per share after    0.34    0.33    3    0.39  -12    1.59    1.12    42
 dilution, EUR                                                                  
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Equity capital per         14.00   13.66    2   13.49    4                      
 share, EUR 12                                                                  
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Equity capital per share   13.94   13.60    2   13.46    4                      
 after dilution, EUR                                                            
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Market price per Series    16.40   17.48   -6   11.27   46                      
 A share, EUR                                                                   
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Market price per Series    15.60   16.40   -5   10.87   44                      
 B share, EUR                                                                   
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Number of shares          15,208  15,208    0  14,398    6                      
 outstanding (not own                                                           
 shares), 000s                                                                  
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Number of shares          15,411  15,338    0  14,498    6                      
 outstanding (not own                                                           
 shares),after dilution,                                                        
 000s                                                                           
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Working hours                667     667    0     643    4     663     644     3
 re-calculated to                                                               
 full-time equivalent                                                           
 positions                                                                      
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1. Deposits from the public and public sector entities, including certificates
of deposit, index bonds and debentures issued to the public 
2.Investment volume encompasses actively managed assets (the Group’s own mutual
funds, discretionary and advisory managed assets) plus other securities volume
in brokerage accounts 
3. Profit for the report period attributable to shareholders / Average
shareholders’ portion of equity capital 
4. Expenses / Income
5. Impairment losses on loan portfolio and other commitments / Lending to the
public at the beginning of the period 
6. Gross doubtful receivables / Lending to the public before provisions for
impairment losses 
7. Provisions for individual impairment losses / Gross doubtful receivables
8. Lending to the public / Deposits including certificates of deposit, index
bonds and debentures issued to the public plus covered bonds issued 
9. Equity capital / Balance sheet total
10. (Core Tier 1 capital / Capital requirement) x 8%
11. Shareholders’ portion of earnings for the period / Average number of shares
12. Equity capital / Number of shares less own shares on closing day



The Bank of Åland’s long-term financial targets
A clarification related to the Bank of Åland’s long-term financial targets is
that the payout ratio shall eventually amount to 50 per cent. This payout ratio
target is subject to the condition that the capital adequacy target continues
to be achieved. At present, the Bank of Åland is prioritising growth. 

The Bank of Åland (Ålandsbanken) follows the disclosure procedure stipulated in
"Disclosure obligation of the issuer (7/2013)", published by the Finnish
Financial Supervisory Authority and hereby publishes its Year-end Report for
the period January – December 2015, which is enclosed with this stock exchange
release. The Bank`s Interim Report for the period January – December 2015 is
attached to this release in PDF format and is also available on the company’s
web site at
https://www.alandsbanken.com/uploads/pdf/result/en_resultat_jan-dec_15.pdf 



Mariehamn, February 12, 2016

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

For more information please contact:

Peter Wiklöf, Managing Director and Chief Executive, Bank of Åland, tel. + 358
(0)40 512 7505